Struggling to be Taken Seriously as an Autistic Person

It's true, lots of people don't take it seriously... but we're neurodivergent, so that just means we think differently. I wouldn't worry about whether anyone takes it seriously, just make sure you do what you need to do for YOU and ignore the jerks of the world. Alter your associations if need be. If they're harming and not helping, cut them out. A small, helpful inner circle is better than trying to be popular and "normal", and while it's hard to cut people off, it sure can make life more peaceful to strategically cut off those who are causing you distress.

Something that seemed to help me a little is finding a social group for people with disabilities, not just autism, though I made some friends with autism in said group

I had a former manager argue with me over my diagnosis, claiming "I don't act r*t*rded (pardon my language) so I must be lying". I ended up leaving that job soon after and now landed myself in a career where my coworkers are politely inquisitive about my experience as a younger autistic female and quite accommodating. You're definitely not alone, keep your chin up <3

YES all the time i only just got accommodations at school after years and years of legal battles and so many times do i hear from my district that i don’t have autism. i literally have over a million pages of documents of autism evals it’s ridiculous

Yeah. When I was first diagnosed with AS back in 2003, I told my father it was a disability and he tells me "you don't have a disability, you have a syndrome. Your brother has a disability." My brother is deaf

Hit them with this fun fact: It’s called neurodivergent because we have a different neuro type. Our brains are literally wired differently. The word “spectrum” is comparing all of us autistics to each other. Who’s sensitive to touch or who needs a lot of space to run, who vocally stims, etc. the spectrum is us in our own separate circle. Not them trying to be edgy. Also I need to mention that I self diagnosed when I started working with non vocal autistic toddlers at a clinic. My first day I had a deeper relationship with the kids in my class than people who had been there for 2 years and were training me. When I got formally diagnosed- no one believed me and would make fun of me for “claiming to be autistic”. My proof for me was that that clinic full of kids accepted me as one of them. We can identify each other. When I was working with them they could tell that I was one of their own and that they were safe with me and that I was going to let them take their time learning rather than just try to make them memorize useless crap for the sake of some neurotypical assholes paperwork data. After I quit I offered to do respite care for my former case kid. I’m supervising as she sleeps right now. We communicate so well that when I come over her mom will ask me what it means when she says “insert seemingly nonsensical word here” and I’ll confirm the word with the kiddo and say “do you mean this?” And she’s just like “ya!” So don’t worry about neurotypical assholes who think they know all. Cuz they suck and they don’t and I promise you will find your safe humans when the time is right. Until then- you have us!

I have had the same experience! Don't let anybody gaslight you into thinking you are wrong, because they will try. Everybody seems to be uncomfortable acknowledging autism. Everyone thinks it's a compliment to tell me "you don't seem autistic." I've only had one friend tell me that I do seem autistic, but let me tell you it was such a relief to feel validated by someone I cared about.

This happened to me at work yesterday actually. I guess some people just don’t understand masking.

That is completely fucked up, but I happened to me too. My parents hid/ignored my diagnoses and I felt completely alone, alienated, and broken. I found out about it when I turned 18 last year and have just started learning that I’m not defective. We are valid and those people are assholes💕

nobody takes it seriously! countless times too they tell me that “everyone is ‘technically’ on the spectrum” and completely invalidate me. your needed accommodations and struggles ARE real and ARE valid! ❤️

I do, all the time, usually from my family. Especially since I don't have a professional diagnosis (even tho multiple psychiatric professionals have told me it's likely). I don't have much advice but you're not alone.